Now, now, Stephen. We haven't unleashed our secret weapon yet. Soon the EU & UN will send Jimmy Carter to Iran. That will make 'em see the error of their ways.

I was just floating the airstrikes idea.

I think current working plan involves a C-130, Chuck Norris, a 9mm, a baseball bat, and a case of Schlitz.

Exactly how would a nuclear attack on Israel help the Palestineans?

Aside from the fact that there are over a million of them living in Israel itself, haven't these people ever heard of fall-out? And, you know, wind?

Trying to understand why Ahmadinejad (or any "leader")would rant, insanely, about having something that the most powerful country in history didn't want him to have.....

Some stories of unrest in Iran, strikes and such, leak out from time to time. Perhaps, not having a clue what to do about widespread unemployment, unrest and other problems, this nutjob figures posturing and rattling a sabre will keep the masses at bay.

If that is the case, maybe his histrionics reflect increasing desperation. The desperation of a man who knows he is deluding himself.

Who really knows? All I "know" is screaming threats at someone bigger and stronger than you is, over time, not such a good idea.

Heck with Chuck Norris, send in Jack Bauer. In all seriousness though, it's time for some saber rattling and gun boat diplomacy. I think it is time to re-deploy as many soldiers as possible without harming other vital interests and place them along stratigic points along the Iran-Iraq border. At the same time naval assets should be steaming on their way to the Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf Theater. Give them something to think about at the negotiating table.

Stephen,

Iran is making the same mistake Saddam made: Exaggerating its weapons capabilities far beyond reality, in an attempt to project power beyond its borders.

Didn't work out too well for Saddam.

Threats have never, ever worked, except when Madeline Albright was the Secretary of State.

I'd be concerned if Iran was suddenly quiet. Teddy Roosevelt was quite intelligent: "Talk softly, but carry a big stick."

It was true 60 years ago; and it still is.

My guess is that Ahmadinejad's "big stick" is about 6.5 inches long and that he's shopping for a muscle car.

Sigh. Ok. sign me up, send me to Quantico. Better to take action now then to wring ones hands in distress. Fine. Put us all in uniforms, train us, and lets us finish this. I would rather live in a modified modern American Sparta than to be anyone's sub-human "infidel" slave in an Islamic country.

Naw, his 'big stick' is clearly about 3.5 inches long. And circumcised!

Always pay attention to what fanatics say in the heat of passion. 9 times out of 10, they're projecting their own demons and fears.

Dave,

Well, some people look at a 6.5 inch "stick" and think it's really small.

Others have to think smaller to make it small.

No offense, buddy.

Heh.

SteveT: "Exactly how would a nuclear attack on Israel help the Palestineans?

Aside from the fact that there are over a million of them living in Israel itself, haven't these people ever heard of fall-out? And, you know, wind?"

Moslems and the world don't care a crap about Moslem victims of terror. They didn't care about Saddam's Moslem victims. The recent Pakistan suicide bomber murdered over 50 Moslems, no protests, no nothing. The recent Iraq Friday prayer bombings killed again over 50 Moslems. A few cartoons drives Moslems into the streets, but bloody, merciless, terrorist bombings. Zip, zero, nada.

People didn't care about the victims of Communism either. I'm beginning to despise people.

None of the rest of the muslim world really care at all about the palestineans except as an excuse to hate and destroy Isreal. Heck the palestineans don't really even care about a palestinean homeland. Their only objective is to drive Isreal into the sea. Yasser Arafat was given the opportunity to trade land for peace and turned it down and the palesteanian people cheered him for it. Never forget, in the Islam mindset jew hatred trumps everything else. Even their own destruction.

I would rather live in a modified modern American Sparta than to be anyone's sub-human "infidel" slave in an Islamic country.

You know, call me crazy, but I think that the odds of an Iranian invasion of the U.S. are fairly slim. I'm not sure their military has the logistic ability to project their troops that far.